Cell Phone Replaces Some Boarding Passes

Boarding passes may soon be a thing of the past. American Airlines has just started allowing passengers using select airports to board with their cell phone, instead of a boarding pass.

The new system works using a 2D bar code (like that used by the US Post Office) that contains all the passenger’s flight information. Wave it at the scanner before boarding, and the agent will see all the information a paper boarding pass would contain.

But not all airports, including those in Hawaii, are yet equipped with the new 2D scanner technology. I recently checked in for the OGG-DFW flight and was presented this list of check-in options:

To Complete Check-In:

Select how you would like to receive your boarding pass from the following options:

Print

Print your boarding pass(es) at this time. If you are unable to print, use a Self-Service Machine at the airport to print your boarding pass(es).

Email for Print

Access your email account at your convenience to print your boarding pass(es) at a later time.

Why is the “Email for use on Cell Phone or other Mobile Device” not available for my itinerary?

A:

To qualify for this boarding pass option, the itinerary must only contain a single passenger and depart and connect through an airport that has the capability to scan 2D barcodes on mobile phones at the TSA security check point. Those airports are currently Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Orange County/John Wayne (SNA), Atlanta (ATL), Las Vegas (LAS), and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP). If the itinerary contains a return flight within 24 hours, the itinerary may also not be eligible.